Pair of Detroit EDM Festivals Called Off

Two new electronic music festivals scheduled for July 4th weekend in Detroit have been canceled for this year -- but have already announced dates for 2015.

The Detroit Electronic Music Festival (DEMF) was slated to take place July 4-6 at the city's Campus Martius Park as a free event, concurrent with the Federation of Electronic Music Technology (FEMT) at nearby Ford Field. The events were announced in November, but a new message on the festivals' official website and Facebook page announced that they've been called off, partly due to construction of a new rail system in downtown Detroit and also because of "a number of exciting festival developments that require more time to ensure their proper presentation."

Those who had purchased tickets to FEMT are being offered a refund or the opportunity to exchange them for tickets to the 2015 festival, which is scheduled for July 3-5. Ticket buyers are also asked to send organizers a message at the FEMT Facebook page to receive "a special gift from the festival out of our sincere appreciation for your special commitment to the successful launch of this incredible production...We look forward to dancing with you and the rest of the planet July 4th weekend 2015 in Detroit."

FEMT had only announced a handful of acts, including Juan Atkins' Cybotron and Model 500 projects and Detroit's Underground Resistance, and nothing since the Nov. 20 launch. The festivals' social media had been notably quiet during the past couple of months. DEMF and FEMT the brainchild of Carol Marvin, who launched the inaugural Detroit Electronic Music Festival (now known as Movement) in 2000. The Movement festival, now produced by Detroit's Paxahau organization, will be taking place as usual on Memorial Day Weekend in the city's Hart Plaza.